As Whitman said so eloquently, "I am fill’d with them, and I will fill them in return." Thoughts, that is, about being a librarian.

May 08, 2008

Advice to job applicants

This post has been percolating in my brain for a few days. I've been noticing a trend and wonder if other academic librarians (or just libraries in general) see it too. Currently, I'm serving on two very different search committees for library positions and am bothered by some details (or lack thereof) that I notice across all applications, regardless of job description. This isn't just one application or applicant, but a whole series of common errors.

If you are applying for a position at an academic institution, do some background research about the school and the job. Don't assume because it is an IT job that it is in the campus IT department. Read the whole job description.

For that matter, why are you NOT reading the job description? This is the fault of library schools - I believe I took a management course (thanks to KDH who reminded me) where the faculty member told us to apply for "... every library job you can find, regardless of whether or not you are qualified...". ARRGH! What a waste of my time...and yours.

So, if you aren't qualified but know you can wow us in the interview and have skills that are transferable and relevant to the job description, admit it in the cover letter and go to great lengths to prove to us that even though you don't have the experience, you are more than willing to learn and make up for a lack of knowledge with enthusiasm and initiative.

Ok, this next one is just me (I think), but why aren't applicants proofreading their portfolios? Is it too much to expect that someone who is applying for a library position be detail-oriented?

This one goes along with #1 -- do some research and find out who is in charge of the search committee, or if you can't find that information, find out who the library director is. It shows you took some time to find out about us (or were paying attention to the job notice).

Get the job title right! Geez...

Any to add or is just curmudgeonly ol' me? Taking the time to put together a well-written, carefully edited and thoughtful job application makes all the difference in the world. If we can tell that you are just blanketing multiple libraries with resumes, you aren't gonna get the time of day. Sorry.

2 Comments

Oh, no, you're right on target. I've seen the same thing in the applications for the last several positions in the library, and the campus position I'm serving for right now. I really believe that if someone wants to come work with us, they should A) know where we are, B) know who we are, C) know something about our services and mission, and D) prove it to me in the application. And I believe that because the candidates who rise to the top are the ones who've done that - which means that the other applications just aren't competitive. They might be from great librarians, but they're not beating the competition.

On top of that, though, I have to wonder what LIS profs are telling students. Dorothea Salo posted on this topic -- Be Your Best Self, http://cavlec.yarinareth.net/archives/2008/03/06/your-best-self/ -- and I hear that the NewLib list got all up in arms about it, saying it was an unfair post. I thought it was totally fair! So where's the disconnect between working librarians and our students coming from? The faculty? I dunno how else to explain it...

Jenica,
I am going to check out Dorothea's post -- thanks for the referral. I really believe the faculty are doing those new librarians a real disservice. Wouldn't this be a great presentation or workshop though?? Maybe a preconference session -- I'm sure its been done, but gosh, it seems like nobody went to it...
BTW, how is SUNYLA planning going...the countdown begins!